In the Alley
by dystmesis
Summary: Rowen learns one of the hardest life lessons about his independence will he remain away from the Ronins forever? Or will tradition and friendship draw him back? Onechappie. Complete. Songfic: Sarah McLachlan.


Songfic using Drifting by Sarah McLachlan. I don't own it, or Ronin Warriors.

He smiled at another' day's worth of good work. By this time tomorrow, Rowen Hashiba would have another book going to the printers and another month or so to draw upon new influences and explore other writing techniques. He then smirked. His fans would be pleased. The two newest books were published within five months. His calm expression mask slipped off for a moment and he remembered that around two or three days, he would have been gone for a month...  
  
The blue haired teen turned the laptop off, stood, and stretched. It was only then that he noticed how hungry he was. Well, rather his stomach was telling the world how mistreated it had been for the past day...  
  
Journeying into the kitchen and raiding the fridge only told the writer that he had to make a trip into town tomorrow. Rowen had absolutely nothing but milk and lunch meat left to consume. He fixed himself a small sandwich, poured a glass of milk, and ate in silence.  
  
You've been drifting for so long all that you know Has been shuffled aside as you bask in the glow Of the beautiful strangers that whisper your name Do they fill up the emptiness?  
  
Upon finishing his meal, Rowen took a quick shower and prepared for bed. As he walked back into his room, he repressed a small sigh. Half the time he expected to walk into his room and see his room in Mia's house and the others somewhere around but the other half of him knew better. He had left that life behind him. Rowen had finally broken free of the fighting and war. He was living the life he wanted now. The blue-eyed male was happy- he was free.  
  
Throwing off his thoughts, Rowen turned down the covers and slid into his bed. After another moment's consideration, he grabbed the remote off of his nightstand and turned the radio on. The music was soft and soon lulled him to sleep.  
  
Larger than life is your fiction in a universe made up of one  
  
---------

Sage watched the morning breeze wave through the trees. He was supposed to be meditating. Yes, supposed to be but for some reason he just couldn't focus on anything today. His sleep had been interrupted by nightmares of the Nether Realm and of his torture in New York... And no matter what he did, he couldn't get rid of those nightmares.  
  
A little voice in the back of his head asked, might I add almost innocently, "And no one to tell them to..."  
  
The blonde shuddered and left his meditating posture to fall back with his hands behind his head. Helpless. That's how he was beginning to feel. His nightmares, his emotions, his fears, they were all becoming nearly too strong for him.  
  
He turned his face toward the slight breeze and thus rolled onto his side 'Things would be different if Rowen hadn't abandoned us!' Sage cursed mentally. Then he paused and spotted his error. Rowen hadn't abandoned the Ronin Warriors. They had all given him a fair chance to back out. Who could have imagined Rowen would actually leave...?  
  
Things had been different for the remaining Ronins. Ryo, as always, found himself accountable for mostly anything that would go wrong, whether it was lesser evils appearing or something going wrong around Mia's manor. Cye hung around, but mostly only to watch over Kento. Of course, the big oaf refused to leave when there was only the slightest possibility of a battle in the future. Sage smirked. He was glad they had stayed.  
  
He sat up, hearing someone calling his name and headed for the house. At the edge of the forest, he met up with Cye who calmly explained they were going into town and invited Sage to tagalong.  
  
Sage smirked half-heartedly. Why not?  
  
--------  
  
Rowen re-checked his grocery list. As far as the thirtieth time was concerned, he could see nothing else he needed to buy.  
  
Stifling a yawn, Rowen left his apartment and trudged down through the city streets. His morning had been dragging on and he wasn't in the mood to shop but hey, things that had to be done had to be done.  
  
That's when she caught his attention. Dirty blonde hair, deep gray eyes, and tattered, sixties clothing was the first thing he noticed. Then he noticed she had a guitar in her hand, making a crude but tasteful song. Rowen stepped to the side of the sidewalk, allowing the other pedestrians to pass him, and listened to her song.  
  
'Cause you have been driting for so long I know you don't want to come down But somewhere below you there's people who love you And they're waiting for you to come home  
  
The song struck a hard chord in his heart. The facial expression which had held the appreciation of another person's artistic work now held a sort of hidden contempt. He was darkly resenting ever leaving his apartment this morning.  
  
His pivoted on his heel and didn't give the side-street artist another thought.  
  
It was another fifteen minutes walk that cleared his mind and calmed his raging nerves. He entered the store and did most of his shopping in this mediocre calm and partly grouchy mood. Until...  
  
"Oh my God! Is that him? Hashiba Rowen!?" The girl's voice cut sharply through his routine. The blue haired teen gave her a small smile and agreed to sign her autograph book.  
  
A moment later, he fidgeted as the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. The blue haired boy turned, aware of the unique sensation of being watched. What met his eyes was a surprise to him and apparently, to the other teen as well. Rowen found his eyes locked onto Sage's.  
  
For a moment, the blue haired teen's breath was caught in his throat. Sage was giving him such a harsh look that it froze him in his tracks. As he began to recover himself, his former comrade's expression changed to what appeared to be emotionless. Of course, Rowen knew better. Wherever Sage went, a mask covering his true feelings would follow.  
  
They stood that way for another moment, Rowen's own expression darkening as he thought more, until a voice called for Sage from around another aisle.  
  
Sage gazed Rowen over one last time, vaguely noting the changes that had overcome his best friend. Rowen seemed thinner, as if he hadn't been taking too much care of himself. The beginnings of facial hair was dabbing at his chin but what captured Sage's attention about Rowen's face the most was the ex-Warrior of Strata's eyes. Once they were dark blue and nearly always held a playful glint when Sage glanced into them- but now, the pair was darker, threatening to envelope the Warrior of Halo into dangerous, daring depths. It was as if Rowen was challenging him...  
  
Cye called for Sage again and this time, Sage broke his gaze with Rowen, turned, and left. The blue haired writer stood, watching the space where his best friend had been standing. Finally, his gaze dropped to the ground as he finished his shopping. All the while, his thoughts remained toward Sage. Rowen couldn't understand why there had been such a look of loathing in those deep violet eyes.  
  
Well, on second thought, maybe he could. He had left the others. It was possible Sage was still angry with him...  
  
The blue eyed teen checked out and headed toward his apartment. As he walked, he tried to forget his encounter with Sage in the grocery store and successfully did when he seen the convention poster. Rowen smiled and studied it.  
  
You walk in a room and the world stops to stare  
You mesmerize all who are caught in the glare  
of the spotlight that follows wherever you go  
does it light up the emptiness?  
  
Rowen jumped as another person called his name. Luckily for him though, they were just passing and noticed him. He did glance in their direction and upon doing so, a pair of figures caught his attention. Cye and Kento were standing on the sidewalk, Cye leaning over toward Kento to whisper something to the warrior.

The blue haired teen raised an eyebrow, wondering what the duo was up to now. His eyes focused farther and he saw Sage turning down an alley alone. After another few moments or so, Cye and Kento turned and walked across the street, entering a nearby store.

Rowen thought once, then twice before letting his impulses guide him. He jogged down the street to the alley, turned down it, and skidded to a halt. Sage stood before him, an aghast look pasted onto his face.

Silence was a form of communication as both boys stared. Finally, Rowen set his bag beside his feet and opened his mouth to speak...

But Sage cut him off. "Funny running into you here." The blonde crossed his arms and waited for a reply.

Rowen frowned and tried to calm the surprise and minor anger in his voice, "I seen you come in here. I was wonderin' what ya were doin'."

"Is that so?" Sage asked. He was having trouble keeping the agony he felt out of his best friend's view. He was hopeful, yes, that maybe the reason Rowen was here was because he wanted to go back but he knew better than to expect Rowen to come out and say so. Yet, he stood unsure. What _was_ Rowen's reason for following him into the alley?

The ex-Ronin of Strata knew what Sage was thinking. Quite frankly, the exact same thought was being processed in his own mind. Why was he here? So, he had seen Sage turn into an alley. It wasn't because he was worried about his former best friend's well-being... On numerous occasions, Rowen and Sage had sparred and eventually tied. So he knew Halo could take care of himself. The only other possibility... The only other reason he could be there...  
  
"Come back." The words left Sage's mouth before he could stop himself. And as if wishing he could retract them, the blonde brought a slow hand up to his mouth to cover it.  
  
Rowen stared into the depthful dark violet eyes he had studied so much before. "You really mean that?"  
  
Sage removed his hand from his face and let whatever emotions he was trying to hide from everyone, including himself, surface and decided to go with the straight truth. "Yes, I do." He smirked at Rowen. "Of course, you already knew that."  
  
Rowen stood at a loss for words and Sage, mistaking Rowen's silence for a no, continued hurriedly. "Everyone's missing you. We wanted you to know you can come back whenever you please..." Sage added meekly, "If you please."  
  
The blue haired teen's knees quivered weakly for a moment but it was quickly covered as he dived and tackled his best friend, sending them both to the ground and rolling. Finally Rowen stopped the spinning, leaving Sage under him, looking completely disheveled and confused. "Of course I'll please!" Rowen said, "But only on one condition..." The Ronin leaned up a bit, to hover over his friend.  
  
Sage used his elbows to push himself up- giving himself a better view of Rowen's face. "What is that?"  
  
"Tickle torture!" With that, Rowen proceeded to begin tickling Sage, leaving the blonde in near-hysterics and flushed in the face. As it was, their laughter echoed throughout the busy street, gaining the questioning glances and comments of many pedistrians.  
  
"Rowen, stop! People... are staring!" Sage gasped.  
  
"I don't care. I'm not doing anything wrong." Rowen replied, his former grin gaining width.  
  
"Please... Rowen, stop!!" Sage begged, once again trying to push the Ronin of Strata's hands away- to no avail.  
  
"Ohh fine..." Rowen stopped, giving mercy to his comrade.  
  
"So you're coming back?" Sage regained his position using his elbows to sit up.  
  
"Yeah. I"m coming back."  
  
"Good."  
  
-OWARI-


End file.
